Can you believe it’s already spring? Our Fresh Fiction Box subscribers are enjoying the great weather with these latest releases. April’s Print Books: Every box included RELATIVITY by Antonia Hayes plus a random selection of 2 other new releases: Take Me, Cowboy by Maisey Yates A Cowboy’s Claim by Marin Thomas Want Ad Wedding by Cheryl St. John One More Night With You by Lisa Marie Perry A Fool and His Monet by Sandra Orchard Annabel Lee by Mike Nappa Brighton Belle by Sara Sheridan Murder in an Irish Village by Carlene O’Connor April’s eBooks: Everyone received all 4 Dangerous Gentlemen by Beverley Oakley Naked Choke by Vanessa Vale Motion for Madness by Kelly Rey Sugar Daddy by Sawyer Bennett April’s Special Keepsake: First Aid Kits from Sandra Orchard You can sign up for the May shipment and get a box full of new books delivered to your door! What would you want to read first? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter with #FFBoxNOTtoMiss!

I’ve had the same style hair for a decade—short bob that the kids didn’t grab or bury in peanut butter. My clothing style was comfortable and hardy. And my home décor has been decided by the previous owners of the furniture I inherited. But I’ve been empty nesting for a few years now. Life has slowed down and my husband and I are earning enough to have a little extra. And here’s the clinker. My twenty-something daughters have emphasized that “Style” isn’t a dirty word. Now if you’ve met me at a conference, you know I have some beautiful clothes. Flowy fabric often with an Asian flare. Beautiful right? That’s style, right? Of course it is. And it fit perfectly with my penname Jade Lee. Except I’m also Kathy Lyons who is publishing more and more contemporary fun books. Laugh out loud books, some with paranormal twists, but all with distinctive modern humor. So…style update. Guess what I’ve changed. (Hint: can be more than one) Long blonde locks. Yup, grew out the hair, bleached it until it’s almost white, and then added some curls. Red highlights. I’ve got dark hair so that shock of red…well, it’s not so shocking. In…

The SUMMER HEAT that is with 16 sexy stories by 16 bestselling authors, including Caridad Pineiro’s UNDER THE BOARDWALK, a scorching hot story of a husband and wife trying to rekindle the passion they once shared under the boardwalk. Now available at Amazon. Additional retailers coming soon! [see below] Join the SUMMER HEAT authors at their release party for a chance to win a Kindle Fire and lots of other prizes and fun. 16 All New Contemporary Romances from NY Times, USA Today, and International Bestselling Authors. Guaranteed to make your blood run hot. Passion, steamy nights, excitement, and suspense. Something to suit every reader’s taste. Grab a cool drink (you’ll need it!), find a hammock, and curl up for an unforgettable escape. Caridad Pineiro, UNDER THE BOARDWALK A passionate night under the boardwalk brought them together, but can Chase and Natalie rekindle that lost love in just one night? Nina Bruhns, FAST AND FLIRTY The top-secret package STORM Corps transporter Kade Maddox is hired to deliver turns out to be way more trouble—and a whole lot sexier—than he ever anticipated. Rebecca York, OUTLAW JUSTICE Will a surprise reunion with her old lover save her life when she flees from…

Did your favorite movie of 2015 make the Academy’s list for best picture? Are you still trying to figure out if THE REVENANT is relevant? Want to win some cool prizes and talk about your favorite Oscar Awards picks? Join Gwen as she shares the stage with Candace Havens of KSCS and Preston Barta of Fresh Fiction TV for an Oscar panel at the Magnolia Theater in Uptown Dallas. Not only can you hear about their picks for the big categories, but you can also win prizes from West Village shops like Village Burger Bar and Mi Cocina. The panel is free for everyone, so bring all your friends! More Information    

Design. A crucial element of architecture. On a recent visit to Orlando, I discovered the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC). The building inspired me to step back into my training as an architecture and design critic. Hence, today’s blog! Disney’s happy, fantasyland  permeates Orlando.  So many buildings reminded me of Disney, with arches, pyramids, turrets, … Read more…. About Gail Ingis Gail Ingis writes historical romance, loves history and romance of course, has taught history, and her weekly blog frequently covers historical content. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Ingis’s early days began and ended with writing, drawing and music. Her inspiration to write came from books gifted to her by an aunt. But life had other ideas. After graduating from the New York School of Interior Design with a BFA in Interior Architecture and Design and masters’ studies in Architecture and Design Criticism at The New School (Parsons). Her career in interior design and architecture led her to the other arts. Ingis founded the Interior Design Institute, a school of interior design, that she eventually sold, but during her tenure, she was twice asked by publishers to write a textbook, her efforts were thwarted by a heavy schedule. Ingis…

Stories have souls that breathe immortality. An unforgettable story steps beyond “Once upon a time” to a kingdom that captures the heart of a reader forever. Not every story has that golden world, and not every reader experiences the same soul-grabbing story. What lingers as a memorable novel for me may not give you an exceptional read. But what we will agree upon is the story touched us, spoke to us, and we were passionately involved in the lives of the characters and their quest. The magic kingdom is filled with rare, distinct, haunting, and extraordinary characters who accompany us to our sweet spot of remembrance. Readers and writers dream the character is real and imagine themselves joining the journey. Some readers become the hero or heroine, much like children don super-hero costumes and develop mannerisms of their favorite character. How does a writer accomplish this amazing feat? Is there a magic wand to wave over our keyboard? There’s no fairy dust in writing. It’s all hard work. We labor to create characters who are: Multi-dimensional. Full of life. Possess authentic flaws. Solid victories. Believable strengths. We emerge them into a setting that is determined to see the character fail…

Here’s some fun stuff about Valentine’s Day I thought you would enjoy. The trip to get a card for my sweetheart is as far as our old cedar chest in our bedroom. Saved Valentine Day cards spill over the chest that hardly closes anymore. When the other isn’t looking, we choose one of the past precious cards for the current event. Read more…. About Gail Ingis Gail Ingis writes historical romance, loves history and romance of course, has taught history, and her weekly blog frequently covers historical content. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Ingis’s early days began and ended with writing, drawing and music. Her inspiration to write came from books gifted to her by an aunt. But life had other ideas. After graduating from the New York School of Interior Design with a BFA in Interior Architecture and Design and masters’ studies in Architecture and Design Criticism at The New School (Parsons). Her career in interior design and architecture led her to the other arts. Ingis founded the Interior Design Institute, a school of interior design, that she eventually sold, but during her tenure, she was twice asked by publishers to write a textbook, her efforts were thwarted…

by Beth Cornelison It was a dark and stormy night… Ah, yes. The trite opening line that even Snoopy, in his Great Writer persona, used to set the stage for his novel. Why? Because setting, when used to the fullest advantage, is an important element of a writer’s toolbox. What would Rebecca be without the mysterious and austere Manderley? Would Star Wars be the same in a galaxy just around the corner from Earth? The setting of a story, used to full advantage, affects the plot and the mood and can reflect a theme in a novel. In TO LOVE, HONOR AND DEFEND, one of the first books I published with Harlequin Romantic Suspense, the stark cold weather, gray skies and bare trees mirrored the feelings of isolation, fear and betrayal my heroine felt. Setting can also be used for contrast, thereby highlighting some aspect of plot or character. In Healing Luke, my grumpy and bitter hero glares irritably at the bright Florida sunshine early in the story, showing the reader the truly dark place his life had reach. Knowing the importance of setting, when I set out to write ROCK-A-BYE RESCUE with Karen Whiddon, I knew we needed to…

For those of you interested in history, here’s bits of 19th century architectural and structural happenings during the Industrial Revolution. Fire burned down architect Joseph Paxton’s Crystal Palace. It was built in London’s Hyde Park to house The Great Exhibition of 1851, the first all glass and iron modular structure built at the time of the Industrial Revolution. Read more…. About Gail Ingis Gail Ingis writes historical romance, loves history and romance of course, has taught history, and her weekly blog frequently covers historical content. A native of Brooklyn, New York, Ingis’s early days began and ended with writing, drawing and music. Her inspiration to write came from books gifted to her by an aunt. But life had other ideas. After graduating from the New York School of Interior Design with a BFA in Interior Architecture and Design and masters’ studies in Architecture and Design Criticism at The New School (Parsons). Her career in interior design and architecture led her to the other arts. Ingis founded the Interior Design Institute, a school of interior design, that she eventually sold, but during her tenure, she was twice asked by publishers to write a textbook, her efforts were thwarted by a heavy schedule. Ingis…

When I began the duet, The Princes of Xaviera, I thought I’d do something fun with two princes who are forced into marriages of convenience. As part of a treaty, the first prince, Dominic, is promised to marry a princess from Grennady, but he gets a one-night stand (Ginny) pregnant and their child will be heir to Xaviera’s throne. So Dom and Ginny must get married. So what happens to the princess and the treaty? Well, Dom’s younger brother Alexandros is forced to take Dom’s place. A playboy who has no desire to reign or marry? He’s not happy at all. But we have two princes forced into marriages with women they don’t really know. Lots of fun! Both books are filled with the glitz and glamour of the life of a royal. In book 1, PREGNANT WITH A ROYAL BABY, Ginny is an American school teacher, forced to fit into the kind of life she’d never even dreamed of. Royal hairdressers, dressmakers and chefs are enough to put her in awe. Outside the palace with sightseers and the press, things are even more difficult. But Ginny’s got the American spirit that she can overcome any obstacle and ultimately she…